John's Chicken

Fried chicken is honest food, and a counter that does it well tends to earn its regulars fast. John's Chicken works the quick-service stretch at 1475 Prairie Avenue, one of the main streets through the central part of Port Coquitlam, where the errands of the day and the dinner question run into each other. A counter like this one feeds the street's working hours, when people want a real meal without the wait of a full dining room.

No phone number or website is listed for this counter, so hours are easiest to confirm at the storefront itself, where they are usually posted on the door. The address suits a walkable errand: Prairie Avenue is close to the city's downtown core, and the Traboulay PoCo Trail and Lions Park are never far for anyone pairing supper with an evening out. Independent quick-service rooms like this one stand outside the national chains, which means the offer and the prices are set by the people working the counter rather than by a head office. Walking in once is the simplest way to decide whether the box becomes part of the rotation.